


Their First Night Out

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-06-18
Updated: 2008-06-18
Packaged: 2019-05-15 03:50:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14783078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: It's Josh and Donna's first formal event appearance after Gaza.





	Their First Night Out

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

ABBEY’S POV 

When they walk in the room, I’m hard pressed to remind myself that they’re not actually a couple. They certainly make a good looking one. I’m not sure anyone that looks like at them wouldn’t think that, especially dressed as they are now in formal wear. He in the typical black tuxedo; she in a satin, deep navy blue gown with a neckline that plunges nearly to her naval. That must be causing all sorts of confliction in Josh seeing her dressed like that and not being able to say anything about it. I know that dress. It’s got no back either. 

He stopped bringing an actual date to these things years ago and always brings Donna. I think it’s his excuse to touch her. And I think she’s just fine with that. In fact, I know she is. 

As they enter the ballroom, she’s on his arm. She’s smiling brightly, but there’s something missing. It occurs to me that this is the first time she’s come to one of these formal things since the explosion and now that I take a closer look, he’s on her injured side. She usually walks on the other side of him, but tonight, he’s supporting her. I wonder if they even realize they do things like that with each other. Since I know that it hasn’t been long since she’s been walking again without crutches, I know to look for the brace she’s wearing on her leg. The slit of the dress is on the other side of her body, so only a hint of the brace can be seen when the dress falls too closely on her leg. 

Congressman Skinner is sitting at a table right next to where they’re standing and Josh leans down to hear what he’s saying. Donna’s arm begins to fall away as his arm moves with his body away from her, but just as it’s about to fall to her side, he grabs her hand. She smiles an almost grateful smile, and I can see her squeeze his hand. 

She, of course, is pounced upon. She’s a bit of a celebrity around here. Josh has let next to no one near her since she came back from Germany. He’s hung up on reporters; as her immediate supervisor, he’s bluntly denied interview requests; he’s made sure she makes all her physical therapy appointments, often times takes her himself; it’s only been recently that I’ve seen her in the bullpen at night past 7, since he was taking her home before then. He’s always been a little protective of her. I used to think it was brotherly. When I see the fierceness he protects her with now, I’m absolutely convinced it’s anything BUT brotherly. 

Josh finishes his conversation with Matt Skinner. When he straightens back up, he immediately politely excuses them from the vultures that descended upon her. Well, from here it looked polite, I’m willing to bet my Oscar de la Renta gown that it actually wasn’t. She disentangles her hand from his and brings it back up to his forearm. To the casual observer, it looks like the polite contact a man and woman have when they’re in formal wear attending something together. But I can see the slight pull of the material at his shoulder. He is holding her up. It’s a testament to her inner strength really that she can walk into this particular room with these power hungry people searching for weaknesses, who are often out for his blood, and at least appear to effortlessly cast off an I’m fine aura. But he knows she’s not quite fine yet and so he compensates for her. 

A waiter stops near them and he grabs a glass of white wine for her and a red for him. I’m surprised he even let her have it, quite frankly, since I know she still takes pain medication occasionally, and likely would have taken one tonight to help her get through all this standing in heels. She drains her glass immediately. His eyebrows shoot to his forehead as he’s prone to do when something catches him slightly off guard and with a small chuckle, he puts the empty glass on the tray of another passing waiter and hands her a glass of water. She pouts a bit, but he smiles wider and says something to her I can’t hear, and the pout falls a bit...just a bit. He is after all, and always has been, powerless against an unhappy Donna. I think she wanted to spend this evening in a slightly drunken haze. 

I can’t blame her; I often want to do that myself. 

They make their way slowly toward our table. The President insisted she be seated at the head table. I don’t know if Donna knows it yet, but he’s going to mention her in his speech tonight. They’re stopped several times along the way. Some speak to Josh, most actually speak to her. There are many pictures snapped, too. Each time they stop to talk to someone, there’s another flashbulb. Vultures looking to get their photo op with the sole survivor of the CODEL bombing. 

Andi Wyatt makes her way over to them. She gives Donna a large hug. She keeps an arm around Donna’s injured side as Josh slips over to the bar. That was nice of Andi. I like Andi a lot. It’s like Andi just KNOWS these things. And Andi can easily get away with a move like this since she was in the car following Donna’s and this looks like two women who survived a traumatic experience together, bonding, and genuinely happy to see each other. I have no doubt that it is. 

Josh returns to Donna’s side with another glass of white wine for her and what looks like a brandy for him. I laugh to myself. No one can get through these things without copious amounts of alcohol. Donna and I are well aware of that, having gotten drunk out of our minds together in the Residence during a certain birthday party. Josh was with Amy then. Though if you stood back and looked at the events of that evening unfold, he spent most of that evening absorbed in what was going on with Donna with merely a brief interest in his girlfriend and date. 

They finally make their way to the head table, and they are, of course, fighting. Some things never change. 

“Shut up, Joshua.” she says. 

“I’m not getting you another one after this.” he says. “You took a percocet. You’re going to be drunk out of your mind.” 

“At least I won’t feel the pain in my leg.” 

“You won’t feel it with the percocet either, if you just sit down for a few minutes.” he insists as he pulls a chair out for her and looks at her expectantly. She sighs dramatically but eases herself gracefully into it nonetheless. That couldn’t have been easy. “You also might have had an easier time of it, if you didn’t wear those freaking shoes.” 

“They go with the dress.” 

“They’re killing your leg.” 

“Don’t mind me. I’m just sitting here.” I pipe in. 

“Sorry, ma’am.” Donna smiles brightly. “Good evening.” 

“Abby,” Josh says diving right in. “Please tell Donna in your professional opinion as a doctor that she shouldn’t be drinking while on painkillers.” 

“I would at least wait until you leave to have another one.” I smile at Donna. She smiles conspiratorily at me back and Josh looks outraged. “Don’t look so put out, Joshua.” I continue. “I’m sitting right here. She’s under doctor’s supervision.” 

He sits down next to her in a huff, still on her injured side, should she, I don’t know, spontaneously fall over, I guess. Which I suppose isn’t out of the realm of possibility, given the fact she’s taken percocet and had two glasses of wine in the 15 minutes they’ve been here. 

“Well, since I’m not comfortably numb at the moment,” he says shooting her a dirty look, “I’m going to get another brandy.” He leans in to her ear and says, “And you another water.” 

Now, to the casual observer, it looks like he was just whispering in her ear, but right before he pulled away, I saw the quick, feather light kiss he left by her ear and her smile and slight blush. 

I’ve watched these two frequently over the years. Ever since the night he was shot, I’ve taken to observing them more closely and watching. I have to say, I’ve never seen THAT before. They’ve changed. Maybe the nature of their relationship hasn’t completely changed, but that was daring. Especially in my presence. Of course, myself I think everyone should just get their heads out of their asses and just let them be together. It’s not like a relationship between them is going to bring down the White House or anything. 

“Is he being overbearing, Donna?” I ask with a smile. “Should I have him taken out back to the woodshed?” 

“Not at all, ma’am.” she laughs. “It just takes a little while to get used to him taking care of me for a change. I don’t think I’m programmed for that.” 

“Sometimes I’m surprised he is.” I laugh. I mean seriously, Josh is pretty high maintenance. Josh has been lulled into the secure feeling that Donna has been and always will be there for him. And thank God that can be the case. But when he was faced with the possibility that she might not be, it was more than he could handle. 

We all knew they were attracted to each other. And we all thought that Donna had a bit of a crush on him, and I saw that the feeling was usually mutual, but when she was hurt and no one knew if she was alive or dead, Josh finally let us see that he absolutely did not, in fact, have a crush on his assistant. He was downright in love with her. 

Margaret’s worked for Leo for nearly 20 years now. Maybe, MAYBE he would fly to where she was if she were hurt, but probably not overseas; and I’m pretty confident CJ or Toby wouldn’t go to Bethesda to see their assistants in the hospital. Send flowers, yes; cater to them a little when they returned to work, yes. Fly to Germany with nothing but a passport and laptop for a week? Pick them up from Dover? All but move in with them to make sure they’re taken care of and have everything they need? No. 

This came as a shock to some around here. Jed for one. I don’t know if he was surprised that he’d missed it all these years or that there was a woman Josh would put his career on the line for. And Leo, well, I don’t think Leo was ever fooled. He knows Josh too well. But, quite frankly, when he let Josh go to Germany, that I think was Leo’s shining moment. As far as I’m concerned anyway. People will say that he had greater moments, but Leo McGarry letting someone put their personal life before the White House? While it’s in crisis mode no less? THAT was classy. 

CJ and Toby don’t know what to do. They walk around like doom is hiding around the corner waiting to jump out and spook them. Josh focusing on anything other than the goals of the administration is a lot for them to wrap their minds around. And CJ seems to be walking on eggshells around Josh and Donna lately, especially Donna. Something went on there. I don’t think Josh quite knows what happened there either. 

Oh shit. Here comes Amy. Amy’s brilliant. Amy’s beautiful. Amy’s determined. Amy’s passionate about her causes. Amy is also a bloodsucker that will stop at nothing to get what she wants. And I think she will always want Josh. Of course, she didn’t know what to do with him when she had him. She sits down right in Josh’s seat, across from me and so close to Donna that I think Amy’s bitchiness is making Donna’s hair curl. 

“Good evening, ma’am.” Amy greets me. There’s a slight chill to her tone. A slight one, mind you. I am the First Lady and I do have the power to mobilize the woman’s movement against her by the entree, should I feel so inclined. I wonder where Becky Reisman is? I sort of feel inclined. 

“Amy.” I reply. Without a smile. 

“Donna, it’s great to see you out again.” Amy says tossing her fake smile Donna’s way. John Tandy appears over Amy’s shoulder and not surprisingly a flashbulb goes off. “You remember John?” 

“Of course.” Donna smiles politely. “It’s nice to see you, Congressman.” Donna’s so polite. Nothing but the utmost respect for a member of Congress, regardless of whether or not she likes them. 

“You too, Donna.” John says. “It’s great to see you out and about. We were all so worried about you.” 

Yeah, I just bet you were, Tandy. I can hear it now. “Hey does anyone know if Josh’s assistant, what’s her name, Diane, is dead?” That’s probably how he sounded that day. 

Josh instantly materializes on Donna’s other side. He puts the drinks on the table and casually drops his hand to her shoulder. I see that this thumb is lightly gliding back and forth over the skin of her shoulder. Amy sees it, too. She’s practically seething over there. 

“Good evening, Congressman. Amy.” Josh greets tightly. 

“Hi, Josh.” Tandy replies. 

“J.” Amy mumbles. 

“Go away now.” Josh replies. Donna nearly spits her water out and I try to look appalled, but believe me when I tell you that my expression falls pretty short. 

“Gee, J, way to be polite there.” 

“Well, since I wasn’t going for polite, I’m not all that broken up that I didn’t hit the mark.” he shoots back. “You got your photo op. Go away now.” A secret service agent quietly appears near Amy and lightly touches her back. I glance over at Jed, who nods slightly at me and goes back to his conversation. Sneaky little leader of the free world over there... He probably got great enjoyment out of that. Believe me when I tell you, he’s not a fan of Amy. Tandy and Amy walk away without making a scene and Josh sits back down by Donna. 

“You okay?” he asks gently. 

“Mmm-hmm.” she nods smiling. I mean, it’s not like Amy actually got a dig in while she was there. 

“Up for a dance?” he asks. 

“Um...yeah, but I’m thinking I’m feeling the effects of that wine now.” 

“I told you you would.” 

“Of course.” 

“Is that a no?” 

“You’re probably going to have to hold me up.” 

“I’m okay with that.” he smiles then turns to me. “Ma’am, would you excuse us, please?” 

“Absolutely, Josh.” I smile in return and watch as he gently helps her rise out of her chair, and leads her to the dance floor. 

Once they’re out on the dance floor, he snakes an arm around her waist and I grin as I see that he is actually holding her up. He’s using his left arm to support her right side. Her foot is just barely touching the floor. This is closer than they’ve ever danced before. Of course, I know why, but it’s still fun to watch CJ’s eyes bug out of her head and practically bounce out onto the floor. CJ makes a beeline for Leo. CJ really needs to get laid. 

Yes, watching them tonight, you’d never know they weren’t a couple. 

Or are they? 

THE END


End file.
